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New Music: Elsa Carmona

With the first single released under her own name, Elsa Carmona has stepped away from the dream pop aesthetic of her time as ‘Sirena’ and taken up a darker synth pop sound that has awakened something brilliant in this young artist. This time around the Stockholm based singer has teamed up with producer Fredrik Okazaki (Robyn, Seinabo Sey) to create the electro infused, melancholic pop track Ritual.

Born and raised in Barcelona, she later moved to Sweden, where she devoted herself fully to her music. Taking the name Sirena, inspired musically by the creative and natural world around her, she released her 2015 debut EP Hearts and single Chemicals. She focused on creating a ‘radio friendly, dream pop aesthetic’ which is especially apparent in Chemicals. However, after first drawing attention with this up beat electro pop hit, her newest material positions her worlds away from the sugary sound she had created. Now, with more of a Banks type feel and darker look, she seems to have grown as an artist and created a record that truly represents her.

The song itself features layers of electro beats and heavy synths whilst she speaks candidly through breathy, smouldering vocals. It follows a path of self-destructivity with lines like, ‘I’ve got plenty of pills‘ and ‘Every night a hit and run‘, it shows a more exposed side to the artist. It then makes sense as to her taking this opportunity to release under her own name -this is her and there is no hiding behind something she is not.

Since her first EP she has already been tipped by the likes of The Guardian and Wonderland, and she gained the attention of Scandinavian producer Alesso, who she collaborated with on his hit single Sweet Escape. With her newest offering this artist has shown that she has far more to offer and we look forward to seeing what else is to come.